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New Mexico felon arrested "did not know how he got to Wickenburg"

Posted at 2:05 PM, Sep 13, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-13 17:20:20-04

A New Mexico felon arrested in Wickenburg Tuesday reportedly did not know how he got to Wickenburg. 

According to court documents, 25-year-old Mark Facio had several felony warrants out of New Mexico for violent crimes. 

Wickenburg police report that on Monday night they assisted the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office with a welfare check at the Shell gas station on US 60 near Zabel Mine Road. 

As police arrived, they reportedly found Facio and a female passenger passed out in the car with a small child in the back seat. 

Police say the female passenger cooperated with them and identified the child as her 1-year-old daughter.

Facio refused to cooperate with police and allegedly started the vehicle in a "manner that appeared to be an attempt to strike the officer."

Police say Facio then fled in the vehicle at a high rate of speed with the child and female passenger still inside. 

The officer was able to get out of the way and was not struck by the vehicle.

Authorities decided not to pursue the vehicle out of concern for the safety of the passengers.

Soon after, police learned that the vehicle was parked off the road near milepost 111 and Facio had reportedly run into the desert. 

Police, along with K9 and an air unit from MCSO searched for Facio for hours and did not locate him but came across a semi-automatic pistol. 

Police later learned that the vehicle was reportedly stolen from Albuquerque. 

After a search of the car, officers allegedly located a "usable amount" of heroin and syringes in the driver's area of the vehicle. 

On Tuesday morning, police say Facio returned to the scene of the crime and tried to steal a vehicle before fleeing into the desert. 

After another search with air and K9 units, Facio was found hiding in an abandoned garage and was taken into custody. 

Police report that Facio told them he didn't know he got to Wickenburg upon his arrest. 

He faces several charges including endangerment, aggravated assault on an officer, and resisting arrest.